


safe in your hands

by wafflesofdoom



Series: you put that magic in my bones [1]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Developing Relationship, Falling In Love, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2017-03-21
Packaged: 2018-10-09 01:20:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10400538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wafflesofdoom/pseuds/wafflesofdoom
Summary: robert sugden arrives home to emmerdale in a whirlwind of magic and arrogance, determined to become head of the sugden family. aaron doesn't exactly expect robert to make him feel the way he does from the moment he arrives, curious, and excited - andmagicial.after years of letting his magic go dormant and unused, aaron is swept up in the wonderful world of robert the great and powerful.





	

**Author's Note:**

> slight warning - robert is outed against his will in this fic, but it's a brief scene.

“What’s everyone so fussed about today?” Aaron asked as he strolled into the pub. The atmosphere in the village had been odd all day long, the air practically crackling with anticipation.

Anticipation for what, he didn’t know. It had felt like just another day in Emmerdale when he’d woken up, but judging by the look on his mother’s face, that was clearly wrong assumption to have made. 

“It’s that Sugden lot.” Chas slammed a pint down in front of him, looking flustered. “Diane and Victoria have taken off, leaving me _completely_ in the lurch. I’ve been rushed off my feet all afternoon!”

“Why?” Aaron settled himself at the bar, curious. The Sugden’s were the most powerful magical family in the village, and when something was up with them, they’d definitely cause havoc.

He still laughed about the time Victoria had found out Adam had slept with Vanessa, and she’d turned every single piece of clothing Adam owned into dust. It was funnier for him, he supposed - but it only went to prove how mad things could get around these parts when a Sugden started to hold a grudge.

“Robert’s back, apparently.” Chas sighed, leaning over so she could speak quietly, clearly not wanting to be hear. “You know how Andy’s been acting as head of the family, since their father died? Well, it should have been Robert, but he left, and now he’s back and determined to ruin everyone’s life.”

Aaron raised an eyebrow, his pint halfway to his mouth. “ _Bit_ dramatic, mum.”

He didn’t know much about the mysterious Sugden brother. He’d left the village long before Aaron had arrived, and Victoria didn’t talk about him much, only mentioning him and the apparently exciting life he led every now and then.

“He’s dangerous, Aaron.” Chas warned. “Stay away from him.”

“I’ve not met him yet, calm down!” 

Before their conversation could continue, Aaron felt something in the air change, as though the atmosphere had just been charged with electricity. Looking up, he noticed an unfamiliar blonde man walk through from the back room, closely followed by Victoria and Andy.

Robert, he assumed.

He couldn’t help but notice how stupidly gorgeous Robert was, all blonde hair and freckles, wearing a tight fitting suit that only served to accentuate every good looking thing about his body. 

It was more than that, though.

Robert carried himself in a way that made you think he was powerful. Andy didn’t exactly give off the impression of being the head of a magical family, but Robert, standing in the middle of a country pub, looked completely powerful, and in control, like he was the one in charge. 

“You can’t just come back here and expect to take over, Robert! You made your choice ten years ago, you didn’t want to be a part of this family.” Andy argued, making Robert pause, turning to glare at his brother.

“This is my family, and being here is **my** birthright. Not yours.” 

Aaron watched, fascinated, as Robert’s fingertips turned electric blue, Andy recoiling slightly.

Magic was strange. Some people had more of it than others, and some people had none at all. Everyone in Emmerdale who was magical seemed to have tight control of it, and Aaron had never seen Andy, or Victoria go off the way Robert was, electric blue sparks pouring from his hands, as though he was about to explode. 

Still, Robert was standing as though he was in total control, so who was Aaron to doubt he was?

“Blood is far more powerful than whatever claim you think you’ve got to being head of _my_ family.” Robert gave his brother a wicked grin, electric blue swirling around his hands. “Chin up eh, Andy? You’ll be a great second in command. Or well, third, really, seeing as Victoria’s the only one with _real_ Sugden blood.”

With that, Robert turned to Chas, a fake smile plastered across his face. “Can I have a pint please, Chas?” 

Chas threw her hands up, shaking her head. “Diane, he’s your son.”  


Diane sighed, grabbing a pint glass. “Robert, there’s no need to cause all this trouble you know, we could have sat down and talked this through like adults.” 

“Diane, are you really going to serve him?” Andy asked, clearly furious.

Aaron didn’t mind Andy. He’d always thought Andy was a bit weak to be the leader of a magical family, but it’s not like that was any of his business, considering he wasn’t a Sugden.

Or magically trained, for that matter. 

Still, he was always curious as to how someone like Andy, who’s magic only seemed to work when it came to the land, and harvesting, became the head of a family like the Sugden’s, when he’d spent his life hearing rumours about the prodigal son, Robert the great and powerful.

“Andy, he’s your brother, and whether you like it or not, he’s not wrong. He’s got as much of a right to be here as you do.” 

“Of course you’re taking his side.” Andy growled, storming out of the pub. 

Robert settled himself at the bar, rolling his eyes slightly. “Diane, you know as well as I do, that Andy isn’t strong enough to carry this family. I know I should have come back after Jack died, but I needed time. But I’m here now, and I’m ready to be the head of this family.”

“Andy’s been doing it for seven years, Robert, you can’t expect him to just take it lying down.” Victoria butted in, looking frustrated.

“No, but you know as well as I do, I’m far more powerful than he is, so it’s not going to be long before your magic recognises me as the head of the family, Vic.” Robert took a drag of his pint. “I’m not doing this to be an asshole, Vic, I’m doing this for the good of our family. Andy never wanted to be the one who was in charge, did he? I’m doing him a favour.”

“Robert, I love you, I really do- but why do you always think you know best for everyone?”

Robert grinned, a smarmy, self assured grin that made Aaron’s stomach turn. “That’s because I do know best, Victoria. Now, are you going to catch me up on everything that’s been going on in your life, or am I going to have to get inside your head?”

Aaron raised an eyebrow. He’d heard some people who capable of getting inside someones head, and reading their thoughts, but he’d never seen it before.

He’d always assumed it was a myth, if he was honest. There was so many of them these days, it was hard to know what was true and what wasn’t when it came to magical abilities.

He’d never been interested enough to do the reading. 

Victoria glared at him. “Don’t you dare, Robert Sugden.”

“I wouldn’t dare.” 

Victoria sighed. “I’m meeting Adam for lunch in a bit, if you’re planning on sticking around. I’ve got to finish up my shift first,” she offered, glancing across the bar at Aaron. “Aaron, come here, meet my brother.”

Aaron barely held back an eye roll, but strolled across the pub, knowing Victoria would just insist. He kept his grumpy expression firmly fixed on his face as Robert looked him up and down, his gaze uncomfortably intense.

“Nice to meet you, Aaron.” 

“Likewise.” Aaron returned. “You done staring, yeah?”

“I like to know who I’m dealing with.” Robert said, tilting his head sideways. “You’ve got dormant powers. Seems like a waste, a pretty face like yours ignoring your magic until it stops existing. Have you got some kind of weird power, eh? Nothing to be ashamed of, I’ve seen all sorts in my time.”  
  
“That’s none of your business.” Aaron couldn’t help himself as he snapped back.

“I mean, if I’m honest, it sort of is. I’d like to know what I’m dealing with, now I’m back. A who's who of Emmerdale’s magical population, if you will.”   
“I’m not magical.” Aaron growled, feeling anger bubble in his chest. “You don’t know shit about me, mate, so you’d want to back off before I show you how well I can put my fists to use.”

Something dangerous flashed across Robert’s face. “I’d like to see you try,” he replied, his voice calm, and cool.

Aaron didn’t rise to it. “Vic, I’m not going to sit here and babysit your brother until you’re done.”

Victoria glared at her brother. “Aaron, wait -"

“I’m going to take this through to the back, mum.” Aaron gestured to his pint, pushing past Victoria and Diane so he could get to the backroom of the pub, where it was peaceful, and quiet, and completely Sugden free.

He wasn’t planning on getting involved with that families ridiculous drama, thanks very much.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aaron looked up as someone set a cup of coffee down in front of him, raising an eyebrow as he clocked it was Robert. “What do you want?” he asked snappily, not in the mood for Robert.

He’d proved himself to be nothing more than an arrogant bastard, if you asked Aaron.

“I wanted to apologise, for yesterday.” Robert offered. He was wearing yet another suit, the maroon material stretched tightly over the swell of his thighs, his taut stomach.

Aaron hated how attractive he found Robert, how turned on he was by the arrogance, the power. 

“I don’t want your apology, mate.” 

“You’ve got it though.” Robert said. “Vic’s made it very clear I was insensitive yesterday, and I wanted to apologise. Sometimes I don’t think before I speak.”

Aaron snorted. “That’s fairly obvious.” 

“I deserved that one.” Robert flashed him a grin. “Can we start over?

“Why?”

“Because I’ve just moved home, and I’ve not got many mates around here, have I?” 

“I’ve heard thats because you tried to burn the church down.” Aaron said. It’s not as though he totally believed village gossip, but he wanted to see if there was some truth to the rumours about why Robert had left.

Robert’s expression imeadiately darkened, the atmosphere tensing around them, the sudden change clearly a magical one. “I don’t think that’s any of your business, do you?” he asked, his words echoing Aaron’s own from the previous day.

Aaron smirked, knowing he’d touched a nerve. “I suppose we’re even then, aren’t we?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Robert, you cannot come back here and demand that we all bow to your will!” 

Aaron looked up as he heard shouting, knowing his peaceful lunchtime was going to be interrupted by another Sugden argument. Taking a sip of his tea, he watched as Robert stalked into the room, closely followed by Andy and Katie.

“Katie, you are _not_ a Sugden. This is none of your business!” Robert replied, standing with hands on hips in the middle of the room. “You can shout all you like, but your opinion means nothing to me.”

“I am a Sugden!” Katie roared in response. “Robert, I am a Sugden by marriage, which makes me as much a part of this family as you are. You are not going to come back here and try and take over. You are a useless waste of space, you know that?”

Robert smirked knowingly. “It’s happening, isn’t it?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Your magic is recognising me as head of this family.” Robert flashed Katie a wicked grin. “I give it a week, and you’ll be asking me just how high you should jump.”

“I will never, _ever_ bend to **your** will, Robert.” Katie snarled. “Andy is head of this family, not you.”

“I think you’ll find you’re wrong.” Robert titled his head sideways. “Why aren't you arguing alongside her, Andy? Eh?”

Andy stayed quiet.

“It’s because _his_ magic’s already recognised me as leader of this family.” Robert explained, looking entirely self satisfied. “I’ll see you later, eh?”

“Don’t you dare try and control him.” 

“I’m not. It was a polite suggestion, not an order. I’m not in the habit of giving orders, you’ll figure that out soon enough.” Robert said, turning toward the kitchen, Andy already tugging Katie out of the backroom. “Aaron. Is there room for one more here?”

Aaron shrugged. “Free world, innit?”

Robert waved a hand over the kettle, standing watching as his cup of tea seemed to make itself, the mug coming to life. “You don't seem too impressed by me,” he commented.

“Nothing to be impressed by, if you ask me.” Aaron continued to eat his tea.

“Thats a shame.” Robert slid into the seat beside him, looking at Aaron intently. “I think I’m rather impressive.”

“You’ve done nothing but cause hassle for your family since you got back if you ask me.” Aaron shrugged, scraping back his chair, making to move away from the kitchen table, and Robert. 

“Life would be boring if it wasn’t for me being around, admit it.” Robert leaned forward, putting a hand on Aaron’s knee. He could feel a thrum of magical energy run through his body as Robert’s hand made contact with his leg, and he had to wonder if this is how Robert felt all the time.

“I don’t think so.” Aaron glared at him. “Move your hand.”

“Make me.” 

Aaron stood up abruptly, shaking off Robert’s hand. “I don’t know what game you’re playing here, Robert, but I’m not interested.”

Robert’s smirk was still well and truly in place on his face. “Okay. If you say so.”

“Yeah. I say so.” Aaron dumped his plate and mug in the sink. “Do one, yeah?”

“I can’t, really. I live here too now, remember?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You’re really starting to annoy me now.” Aaron said as he got out of the breakdown truck, glaring at Robert. The blonde man was sitting on the bonnet of his car, having donned a leather jacket today.

He looked like a bloody off duty supermodel.

“I thought we were mates!” Robert said, an innocent expression plastered across his face. “Mates can come and check out their friends car when it’s broken down, right? Not to mention its your job, and all that.” 

“Something tells me theres nothing wrong with your car."

Robert glanced at the sleek silver Porsche behind him. “There was.”

“And let me guess, you used your magic to fix it?”

Robert grinned. “I did.”

“So why call me out here?” 

“I wanted to talk to you. You know, away from my family and Katie’s one woman vendetta against me?” 

“Why?” 

“I’m curious about you.” Robert admitted, staring intently at Aaron again. “Do you realise how powerful you are?”

Aaron was imeadiately uncomfortable. “I left my magic go dormant for a reason, Robert.”

“Okay.” Robert nodded. “But I just wanted you to know that you’re very powerful, still. If you ever change your mind.”

“I won’t. Can I go now, or do you want to waste some more of my time?”

“I’m wasting your time am I?” Robert raised an eyebrow. “Here was I thinking we were having a nice conversation.”

Aaron couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re full of yourself, you know that?"

“I have reason to be.” Robert stood up, closing the remaining few inches of space between the two of them, the air around them crackling with electricity. Aaron wasn’t used to the way the world seemed to react to Robert and his magic, and it was exciting.

“Oh, do you?” 

“I do.” Robert smirked, and he dipped his head, pressing his lips to Aaron’s. 

For a second, Aaron was shocked, but as soon as he started to kiss back, his entire body felt like it was on fire. Whether it was Robert’s magic, or the man himself, Aaron didn’t know, but it felt so good.

They broke apart, Aaron’s chest heaving as he stood, Robert gazing intently at him. 

“I better let you get back to work then, hadn’t I?” Robert said, winking at Aaron before he moved, heading back to his car.

Aaron rolled his eyes.

“Cocky bastard.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aaron wasn’t really expecting to find Robert lounging outside his bedroom when he got in from work, his leather jacket long since discarded, the blonde man wearing a thin blue jumper adorned with ridiculous elbow patches. 

“Can I help you?” Aaron wasn’t good at being flirty, but he’d try. He wasn’t going to let Robert take the lead on everything now, was he?

“You can, actually.” Robert smirked, and before Aaron could say a word, he had pressed his lips to Aaron’s, kissing him harshly.

It had been such a long time since Aaron had wanted anyone. Years, really, and _God_ , did it feel good to want again. Aaron knotted his hands in the hair at the back of Roberts neck, pressing his body flush against Robert’s.

It’s as though there was an electrical current in the air again, and as Aaron reached for the hem of Robert’s jumper, an electric shock went through his entire body, making him jump backward.

“What the _hell_?” 

Robert looked a bit flustered as he replied, a half a grin settled on his face. “It’s my magic,” he said. “It’s tied to my emotions, and uh - sometimes it gets a bit out of control.”

“So are you going to electrocute me if we have sex?” 

“Possibly.”

Aaron raised an eyebrow. “And thats supposed to turn me on?”

“I’m joking.” Robert grinned, tugging Aaron back in by his belt loops. “It won’t happen if I’m in control, so….”

Aaron rolled his eyes, letting his hands settle on Robert’s shoulders, the electric thrum gone, all that was left behind was the heat of their kiss, the heat of their bodies pressed together. “If you wanted to be on top that badly, Robert, all you had to do was ask.”

He reached around Robert, pushing down the handle of his bedroom door. “Lead the way then,” he smirked, giving Robert free reign to take complete control of the situation.

It took him barely half a second to get the hint, stumbling backward into Aaron’s bedroom, kicking the door shut behind them. 

There was a moment of complete silence, neither of them moving, before Robert closed the space between them, reattaching their lips. 

_It was probably a bad idea to sleep with Robert_ , Aaron mused. _But then again, all the good decisions were the boring ones._

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aaron was finding it hard to catch his breath, and even was trying even harder to not let on about it. Robert was enough of a cocky bastard, thank you very much, he didn’t need to encourage him anymore.

“Sorry about the electric shock.”

Aaron winced slightly as he remembered how the electric shock had startled him completely, Robert buried three fingers deep in his ass and his mouth around Aaron’s dick. He’d scratched his fingers through Robert’s hair in appreciation and two seconds later, he'd nearly jumped off the bed in shock as Robert _literally_ electrocuted him.

“S’alright.” Aaron grinned, turning his head so he could look at Robert. Sweaty and sated, post-sex Robert was as good as it got, really, his blonde hair a stark contrast to the navy blue of Aaron’s bedsheets, his pale skin a delicious expanse he wanted to touch, and taste. 

“It was worth it then?”  


“Mate, I’m not going to feed your ego.” Aaron rolled his eyes, shifting slightly so he could tug the duvet up around his chest. In the heat of the moment, he hadn’t been too bothered about the scars that littered his chest, but as the sweat on his body cooled and the noise of the pub downstairs became clearer, it felt a like strange having them on display. 

Robert grinned, leaning in to press a soft kiss to the corner of Aaron’s mouth. “I’m just going to need a repeat performance then, make sure I rock your world completely.”

Aaron snorted. “Yeah, whatever you say.”

Robert stretched lazily, his fingertips brushing against the headboard. “I should probably go, face the family.”

“Can I ask you something?” 

Robert nodded. 

“Do you use magic when you’re having sex?” Aaron blurted, genuinely curious.

Robert shook his head. “Not unless someone’s agreed to it. It’s a consent thing.”

“It is?”

“Yeah. Like, if I went and used my magic on someone without them knowing, they didn’t have a choice in the matter, so it’s taking advantage. Not everyone likes sex magic,” Robert explained. “It does come in handy, sometimes, though.”

“Why, you not good enough in bed without it?"

“Shut up.” Robert shoved at his chest. “No, I mean there’s practical uses. If the moment strikes and I’ve not got any lube, well, it’s easily sorted.”

“So you just go around conjuring up lube from nowhere and hoping someone will shag you?” Aaron couldn’t help but laugh.  


“Exactly.” Robert snorted. “And it helps with cleanup.” 

“Then _why_ am I still covered in your cum?”

“It’s yours, actually.” Robert reached a hand under the duvet, his palm warm against Aaron’s stomach. It was an odd feeling, almost as though someone had pressed a hot water bottle to his skin. “Sorted.”

Aaron looked down at his clean skin. “That’s quite cool.” 

“There’s a lot of cool things about magic,” Robert commented, sitting up, the duvet falling away, leaving the lean lines of his shoulders and his taut stomach on display. “I could show you, if you like.”

“I’m never going to use mine, Robert, so could you just - _stop_.”

“I’m not trying to push you to use it. Vic’s said I need to back off about that, and I will, I swear. I’m just saying that if you’re ever curious, I’m always happy to show off.” Robert explained, tugging his jumper on over his head.

Aaron shrugged. “I’ve never really been that interested in magic, to be honest.”

“Really?”

“Is that so surprising?”

“A little bit, I always just figured that everyone was interested in magic.” Robert was nearly fully dressed down, pulling his trousers on, Aaron slightly disappointed as the full swell of Robert’s arse disappeared.

“Well, I’m not.”

“That just makes me even more curious about you, Dingle.” Robert grinned, leaning down to kiss him properly. “See you later.”

Aaron didn’t move from his bed, comfortable in the warmth Robert’s body had left behind. “See you later.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aaron nearly walked out of the backroom as he walked in on Sugden argument number three hundred of the day, Robert and Katie facing off yet again, Victoria doing her best to try and calm the situation.

“You’re such a liar, Robert! You didn’t come back because you wanted to be a part of this family, you came back because you split up with your wife.” 

Aaron raised an eyebrow at Katie’s comment, pushing past Victoria so he could get to the kitchen, gunning for the kettle. He’d had a really long day at work, and he just wanted a cup of tea.

“I split up with my wife because she was a thundering bitch and we hated each other.” Robert corrected, his ever present smirk still on his face. “I’m here because I’ve wanted to be a part of this family for years now, and now felt like the right time. Seriously, Katie, no one else is fighting this as hard as you are - are you still in love with me or something?”

Katie rolled her eyes. “You’re such a smug, self centred bastard, you know that?”

Robert winked, he honest to God winked. “I try.”

“Can we please just talk about this like adults?” Victoria tried, stepping between her brother and her sister-in-law. “Andy, you knew this day was always going to come - you’ve said you don’t want to be head of this family.”

“I didn’t, I don’t want to be!” Andy shrugged. “I’ve never wanted to be the one in charge, I’m happy for Robert to take over. It should have been him all along, anyway.”

“Are you really giving up on this without a fight?” Katie directed at her husband.

“Looks to me like you’re the only one fighting.” Aaron commented, dumping a spoonful of sugar into his tea. 

Katie glared at him. “This is none of your business, Aaron.”

Before Aaron could reply, the air in the room crackled with electricity, Robert’s expression instantly turning angry. “Katie, I’d keep your mouth shut if I were you,” Robert practically growled.

“Robert, don’t pretend like you care, you don’t know Aaron.” Katie said. “Unless you’ve decided you’re gay this week, that is.”

Robert rolled his eyes. “He’s a mate, Katie. I know you’ve not got many of those, so it might be a tough concept to wrap your head around.”

“Robert, don’t.” Andy said warningly.

“Katie, you can spend the rest of your life fighting this, or you can go and be happy with your husband, and stop your ridiculous vendetta against me. I’m the head of this family, not that it’s something thats worth much anymore, seeing as we don’t live in ancient times when magical families went to _war_.”

“Then why do you want it so badly?”

“Because it’s mine, by right.” Robert said, clearly getting ready to deliver his final blow. “And because Andy begged me to come home, begged me to come back and take over from him because he couldn’t take the responsibility anymore.”

Aaron was watching their argument with interest at this point. He’d never gotten people’s obsession with positions of power, the obsession nearly every magical family had with who was sitting at the head, the person who went to those ridiculous village meetings on their behalf.

It was easier, being a Dingle. They were a non-magical family, for that large part - depending on fathers and mothers, of course. Belle was magic, though her magic had proven to be unpredictable and dangerous on more than one occasion, and it came from her mother’s side of the family.

Besides Belle, and him, there wasn’t another Dingle in the village who had magical power. Aaron had let his go dormant by choice, and Belle’s had been suppressed with medication when she’d been committed to psychiatric care the previous year.

There wasn’t a drop of Dingle blood that had magic, even going back hundreds of years. They’d always been among the ranks of the non-magic of the population, and Zak always joked that Dingle blood and magic just didn’t mix.

Aaron could believe it, looking at the chaos that was unfolding in front of him. Robert had been back in Emmerdale for little over a week now, and even Aaron was getting sick of going around and hearing the same argument over, and over from Katie.

Robert flashed Katie a bright smile. “Are you going to stop being a pain in my ass, now? Because I’m gasping for a cup of tea and an excuse to not have to see your face for at least a few hours.”

Aaron snorted into his cup of tea, shrugging off the dirty look Katie sent his way. 

“I’d stay well away from him, Aaron. He’s not the kind of bloke you want as a friend,” Katie said before she stormed out of the room, Andy following her closely. 

“She thinks she’s so much more powerful than she actually is.” Robert rolled his eyes, earning himself a pinch from his younger sister. 

“You could deal with all this a lot better, you know Robert.” Victoria scolded. “I’m happy to have you back, and so is Diane, and no one is happier to see you at the head of this family than I am, but you’ve got to start acting like you’re an adult, and not a petulant child with a grudge against your ex-girlfriend.”

With that, Victoria turned on her heel and left, clearly heading back to work.

“That told me.” Robert laughed, strolling into the kitchen. “You’d swear she was the boss, you know that?”

“There’s no messing with Vic.” Aaron grinned, thinking of all the things they used to get up to as teenagers. Victoria used to cause havoc at school (mostly through his encouragement) and Aaron was always there to take the blame and make sure Vic never got in trouble for using her powers when she was on school grounds.

They’d made a good team.

“No, there is not.” Robert looked as though he wanted to ask something. “That Adam bloke, he good enough for her?”

“Why, can’t you just get inside his head?”

“It’s technically illegal to do it.” Robert said. “Unless I was a police officer and needed to solve a case, but I’m not, so I’ve got to leave the whole using magic to read someones thoughts thing off.”

Aaron nodded. “He’s my best mate, he’s good enough for her. They’re happy together, you know?”

“Good,” Robert nodded. “She’s my baby sister, you know? I want her to be happy.”

“I’ve got a sister.” Aaron admitted, not really sure why he was telling Robert this. “She lives with her mum, comes to see me on the weekends sometimes though.”

Robert smiled, the first sort of genuine smile Aaron had seen from the blonde man since he’d first arrived. “Can’t live with them, can’t live without them, eh?” 

Aaron laughed. “Something like that.”

They stood in silence for a few minutes.

“So, you were married.”

Robert grimaced. “Yeah. I should have told you.”

“Why? S’not like we’re seeing each other.” Aaron shrugged. “Just curious, I assumed you were gay.”  


“Bi.” Robert corrected. “That lot don’t know, though.”

Aaron shrugged, draining the last of his cup of tea, feeling infinitely more human now he’d gotten some caffeine into his system. He liked working in the garage, he did, but sometimes it was exhausting. “That’s your business.”

Aaron wasn’t in the business of outing people.

“Okay. You fancy grabbing some dinner in the pub? My treat. To make up for nearly electrocuting you the other night,” Robert said, his hands stuck in the pockets of his leather jacket.

“I’ve got nothing better on.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Robert, come on, I’m working.” Aaron helplessly grumbled as Robert pressed kisses to the side of his neck, tugging the material of his t-shirt down slightly so he could nip and bite at Aaron’s collarbone.

Robert had him pinned up against Katie’s car, his sister-in-law having dropped the jeep in that morning for Aaron to take a look at. Of course, Robert had found out that Cain and Debbie were out for the day and had come along to distract Aaron.

Not that he was totally opposed to the idea.

Aaron was having more fun than he’d had in months with Robert, the other man making him feel a bit more spontaneous, a bit more excited about his life for the first time since..

Well, since Gordon.

He’d been numb, for a long time, and Robert was making him feel alive again. 

“You really want me to stop?” Robert asked, his hands down the back of Aaron’s overalls, dipping into the waistband of his tracksuit bottoms. 

Aaron sighed, looping an arm around Robert’s neck. “You know I don’t.”

“Watch it, that was _almost_ a compliment.”

Aaron rolled his eyes, pulling Robert in for a proper kiss. “Don’t get too used to it, your head is big enough as it is.”  


There was a wicked look in Robert’s eyes. “Along with other parts of my body.” 

“Shut up and put that mouth of yours to some decent use.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aaron sensed the tense atmosphere from the moment he stepped into the Woolpack, Robert and Katie facing off in the middle of the quiet pub. Chas and Diane were behind the bar, Andy seemingly trying to get his wife to back down. 

“What I do in my private life is none of your business, Katie.” 

This was the first time Aaron had considered Robert dangerous. There was a look in his eye that made you think he wasn’t to be messed with, an angry crackling noise in the air.

“Don’t you mean _who_ you do?” 

Aaron’s eyes widened. How had she found out about them?

“Katie, come on, you’re embarrassing yourself.”

“No, I think everyone deserves to hear this. Robert’s marriage ended because he’s _gay_. That’s why he’s back here.”

Robert was getting angrier by the second. “I’m not gay, Katie.”

“Then why were you having sex with Aaron in the garage?” Katie asked sweetly, talking as though she’d managed to get one over on Robert, as though it was a game to win. 

Aaron moved before Robert could, standing between the two of them, hoping that Robert’s magic wouldn’t go completely berserk as he put a hand on Robert’s chest. He winced slightly as red hot pain flared through his body for a second. 

“Katie, don’t be such a bitch.” Aaron directed at his mother’s best friend. “Who he sleeps with is none of your business, so why are you mouthing off about it in here, eh?”

“Oh, you need him to stand up for you now, do you?”

Aaron dropped his hand as Robert’s entire body seemed to go on fire, the magic that was pouring from his hands red, and angry, not the usual blue that Aaron was used to seeing now, a few weeks since Robert’s whirlwind arrival into his life.

“I don’t need anyone to fight my battles for me.” Robert sounded more authoritative than Aaron had ever heard him, even Katie taking a step back. “You’re going to leave me the hell alone, or you’re going to find out just how angry I can get, Katie.”

“Oh, I know how angry you can get, Robert. I was there, remember, when you set fire to the church?” 

Before Aaron could try and stop him, Robert had lifted a hand and Katie was suddenly flying across the room, landing on the floor near the door, looking startled. “I suggest you leave,” Robert growled. “Before I do something I’m sure Victoria will convince me I regret.”

“Robert -“ Aaron tried to reach out, his palm burning as he touched Robert’s hand. 

Robert glared at him. “Don’t touch me.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aaron knew Chas was going to absolutely blow, now she knew he was sleeping with Robert. He managed to get exactly three quiet minutes in the backroom before she arrived like a whirlwind, fixing him with a glare.

“I told you he was dangerous, Aaron!”

“Mum, he’s not dangerous.” Aaron pinched the bridge of his nose, already frustrated. 

“Aaron -“

“Mum.” Aaron interrupted firmly. “He makes me laugh.”

“Aaron, love, he’s just going to hurt you.” Chas shook her head. “It’s all he ever does. He hurt his family, he hurt Katie, and he’s going to hurt you the same way. God, Aaron, why do you think his marriage ended?”

“I didn’t ask.” Aaron shrugged. “You know how hard things have been for me, since everything with Gordon. For the first time in years, I feel like I could just be happy, and Robert is making me feel happy. I’m not planning on marrying him, it’s just a bit of fun.”

Chas didn’t look happy. 

“I’m not a kid, mum, I know what I’m doing.”

“Is he pressuring you into using your magic?”

“No.” Aaron said. “I don’t need you to warn him off about that, either. He knows not to ask, and thats how it’s going to stay.”

“I don’t want to see you get your heart broken.”

“It’s been two weeks, mum. It’s not like I’m in love with him,” Aaron reassured her, heading for the stairs. “I’m going to get an early night, I have an engine rebuild to do tomorrow.”

Chas made an unhappy noise. “Goodnight love.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aaron sleepily rubbed at his eyes, the bight light from outside his bedroom door distracting him. Had his mum forgotten to turn the light off again?

Kicking back his covers, Aaron padded toward the hallway, and came face to face with a very drunk Robert. “Robert, it’s three in the fucking morning.” he growled, getting angrier as he looked at the blonde man slumped over the bannister.

“Had a few drinks.” Robert grinned. “Why are you up?”

“Because the entire house is glowing blue, because of you, you idiot. Can’t you turn it off?” Aaron gestured at the blue glow that was emitting from every part of Robert’s body.

Robert glanced down at himself and laughed. “Nope.”

“What do you mean nope?”

“”M drunk.” Robert said, gesturing wildly. “Can’t control it very well, when ‘m drunk.”

“So Robert the great and powerful isn’t very powerful at all?” Aaron couldn’t help but tease. He couldn’t bring himself to be angry with Robert about what had happened in the pub earlier, knowing Robert had only reacted the way he did because he was _scared_.

Aaron couldn’t imagine how it felt to have someone just, out you to your whole family for their own gain. 

Robert honest to god pouted at him, still hanging off the banister. His magic flickered and flashed brightly, and for the first time in his life, Aaron wondered if alcohol actually had an effect on magical powers.

Was Robert’s magic _drunk?_

“Come on, let’s get you to bed, dopey git.” Aaron reached out for Robert, barely holding back a yell as an electric shock ran through his body. “What the hell, Robert? I’m just trying to help you!”

“Sorry.” Robert mumbled. “It’s trying to protect me.”

Aaron rubbed at his hand, glaring at Robert. “From what?” 

Robert looked at him, his gaze unfocused. “You.” 

Aaron couldn’t hide his confusion.

“I’m curious about you, you know.” Robert admitted, the blue glow dimming slightly., looking less erratic and jumpy than it had done a few minutes previously. “Should be okay now.”

“I’ve never seen you lose control before.” Aaron said, slightly in awe of the raw power that was floating around Robert’s body. He'd never seen anything like it before, not from Victoria, or anyone else who was magical around the village.

It was incredible. 

Robert had been so sure of himself from the moment he’d arrived back in Emmerdale, and it was strange to see him out of control, blue magic everywhere, as though it was trying to escape his body. 

“I do, sometimes.” Robert said quietly, getting unsteadily to his feet. “Can’t help it. They a-always said I had too much magic. Y’know?”

“Can you have too much magic?” 

Robert nodded, clearly not interested in explaining in the state he was in. “Which way is my room again?” he asked, glancing around the landing. 

Aaron rolled his eyes, hesitant to touch Robert again.

“S’ok. Calmed down now.” Robert gingerly touched Aaron’s wrist, and the electric shock was gone. He just felt warm, his skin still glowing bright blue. 

“Alright then.” Aaron hooked an arm around Robert’s waist, half carrying, half dragging him toward the spare room where he was staying. He managed to dump him onto his bed, Robert already half asleep. “There you are, mate. Sleep it off, yeah?”

“Aaron?” Robert piped up sleepily.

“Yeah?” 

“I like you.” 

“You said.”

“No, I mean.” Robert tried to sit up, his hair askew and his movements jerky, tired. “Thats why it shocked you. My magic knows how much I like you, and it wants to protect me.”

Aaron’s stomach flipped. “Go to sleep, Robert.”

Robert grinned drunkenly. “As long as you know.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aaron looked up as Robert entered the kitchen, looking hungover as anything and particularly sorry for himself. Mumbling a greeting, Robert made straight for the sink, filling a glass with water.

Fascinated, Aaron watched as Robert waved his hand over the glass, the once clear liquid glowing bright blue before he downed it, perking up almost imeadiately.

“Hangover cure?”

“The perks of being magic.” Robert grinned, sliding into the seat across from him and grabbing a piece of toast from Aaron’s place. “Sorry for waking you up last night, by the way. I guess I’m used to living on my own, and I forget what happens when I do lose control a bit.”

“S’alright.” Aaron shoved the plate toward Robert, gesturing to the pot of jam he had next to him. He couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow as Robert waved a hand over the jam, Aaron’s knife standing to attention and buttering up the bread, Robert sitting back in his seat. “Do you ever do anything without magic?” 

“I do. I just chose not to, a lot of the time.” Robert said, taking a bite out of the slice of toast. “I figure, if I’ve got all this magic, I might as well use it. There’s no point in doing things the non-magical way if I can do it my way, you know? Seems like a waste to not use it.”

Aaron felt instantly uncomfortable. “You might feel like that, doesn’t mean everyone else does.”

Robert caught on straight away, to his credit. “I didn’t mean it like that, Aaron. I know theres a reason you let your magic go dormant, and I’m not trying to pry, I swear. I guess I’m just used to being around people who use magic for everything.”

“Makes you lazy.” Aaron mumbled, not quite ready to have that conversation with Robert just yet.

“It probably does.” Robert laughed. “You going to show me the mundane way of doing things, yeah? Teach me how to cook, and all that.”

Aaron snorted. “Do I look like I can cook? I live in a pub, mate, Victoria makes my dinner most nights.”

“Fair point.”

“She cooks without magic, you know.” Aaron said, trying to gauge Robert’s reaction. “Had to learn it all from the basics. It’s not all bad, not having magic.”

“Isn’t it?”

Aaron shook his head. “It’d be a lot less fun for me to be a mechanic if I could just click my fingers and fix something without a second thought,” he admitted, thinking of the hours of his life he spent lost in a car’s engine.

“The finger clicking is only for drama.” Robert glanced at the kettle, two mugs coming to life, tea bags floating into the empty mugs. “You can do it without thinking, if you try hard enough.”

Aaron watched as their tea made itself, the fridge opening as if on cue, the milk jug steadily floating across the kitchen. “Don’t you feel like you’ve got too much time on your hands sometimes? That would have taken me five minutes, but you’ve sorted it in ten seconds.”

Robert looked startled. “Sometimes, I guess.”

“So how do you fill your time?”

“Nothing much, these days.” Robert said. “I used to work for my ex-wife, but I lost that job when our marriage ended, and then I came here. I don’t think there’s much for me work wise, you know? I’ll look into stuff in Hotten, and Leeds, eventually.”

“You staying here for good then?”

Robert nodded. “I should have come back when my dad died. I was always going to have to, you know? I can feel it, how Victoria is more powerful than Andy and she’s just been hiding it. It can cause chaos, to have someone like Andy at the head of a family.”

“Are you just saying that because you hate him?”

“I don’t hate him. I mean, we have our moments, sure - but he’s my brother, and I do have the best interests of my family at heart, regardless of what Katie says.” Robert said. “I want to be able to protect them.”

Aaron nodded slowly. “Are you okay? After last night, I mean. Katie was a right cow, doing what she did to you.”

“I’ve known I was bisexual since I was fifteen.” Robert said after a brief pause, looking down at his hands. “I didn’t want to accept it, for a long time, you know? It was a hard thing to accept, because theres a lot of expectation on the oldest in a family, to carry on the Sugden name and all that faff.”

“So you hid it?”

Robert nodded. “My dad wanted someone to carry on the Sugden name, make us as powerful as we used to be. I’m sure you’ve heard it all before, every bloody magical family out there thinks that way.”

Aaron nodded, not quite sure if he should say anything just yet.

“It’d kill him, to think I was interested in boys.” Robert’s vision clouded, one of the cups of tea spilling out over the side of the mug as they floated toward them, suddenly unsteady. 

Aaron reached out and grabbed it before any more could spill, setting them both down on the table.

“It did, actually.” Robert said quietly. “He found out. I was with a farmhand, don’t even remember his name now - but dad caught us, and he leathered me. After that, it was easier to pretend I was straight. I’ve accepted it now, I have - but I’d like to have come out on my own terms, not Katie’s.”

“I think you scared her enough to make sure she’ll never do anything like it again.”

“Are you afraid of me? I know people around here are, because of what they think happened with the church.”

Aaron shook his head. “I’m not afraid of you. You make me feel good, Robert.”

“I do?”

“Only compliment you’re getting from me today.” Aaron teased. “Uh. Have you got anything on this morning?”

“I was just going to watch telly, if I’m honest.”

“Come to work with me. I’ve got to rebuild an engine today, and I think it’d be good for you to see what real work looks like.” Aaron didn’t expect Robert to agree, let alone agree with a bright smile on his face. 

“Give me five minutes to get changed.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You’re getting the hang of it,” Aaron commented, leaning against the car bonnet as he watched Robert work on the engine, a look of concentration on his face. They’d been at it for hours, and Robert wasn’t so bad at the whole working with your hands thing.

Aaron had almost expected him to have given up by now, if he was honest. 

Robert stood up, standing with his hands on his hips. He’d donned a white t-shirt, the casual clothing so different to the suits and leather jackets Aaron had gotten used to seeing him wear. He had a pair of Aaron’s overalls knotted at the waist, and Aaron tried to ignore the possessive feeling that twisted in his stomach as he looked at Robert wearing his clothes. 

“It’s been fun, actually.” Robert admitted, wiping his hands on his overalls, getting rid of the worst of the grease. “Though I don’t know if I’d be suited to doing it all the time.”  


“Too posh for it?”

“Just not a dirty little grease monkey like you.” Robert smirked, leaning in to press a kiss to Aaron’s lips. He tasted sweaty, a salty tang to their kisses as they snogged in the middle of the garage.

Aaron had never been more glad that Debbie and Cain were away at a conference for the day. “We need to finish this,” he murmured against Robert’s lips, reluctant to pull away from him. 

“Don’t be boring.”

“I like my job, thank you very much.” Aaron rolled his eyes. “Not all of us can be lazy assholes, you know.”

Robert shrugged. “Tea?”

“Please.” 

Aaron had barely answered when he heard the kettle come to life, the little sink in the corner turning on, two mugs rinsing themselves of their own accord. “I thought the point of you coming to work with me was for you to get used to doing things without magic?”

“It was,” Robert tugged him close again, his thumbs pressing into the dips of Aaron’s hipbones. “But if we make tea my way, I have more time to kiss you. Good enough reason for you?”

Aaron laughed, his fingers knotted in the soft material of Robert’s t-shirt. “S’pose.”

“You look like there’s something on your mind.” Robert said quietly, rubbing a thumb across Aaron’s forehead. “You can talk to me, you know.”

“I know.” Aaron sighed. “I think that’s what scares me the most. I’ve only known you a few weeks, and for some reason, I trust you. Despite what everyone else says, and thinks, I trust you.”

“Have I ever given you reason not to?”  


Aaron shook his head. “No. It’s just - I don’t find it easy to trust people, so it’s strange for me. I mean, I don’t even know a lot about you.”

“You know the important parts.” Robert said.

Aaron nodded, finding it hard to find the words for how he was feeling. He didn’t trust people easily, and yet here was Robert, after becoming a hugely important part of Aaron’s life after only a few weeks. 

“You don’t know the important parts of me though, do you?”  


Robert shook his head. “I know that you're gorgeous, and funny, a great mechanic - and you make me laugh, even if you are a bit grumpy most of the time.” 

Aaron rolled his eyes. “Yeah, alright.”

“Everyone’s got their secrets, Aaron. You know? Everyone’s had something happen to them in their life that they find it hard to talk about. I don’t need to know, if you’re not ready to tell me.” 

“You’ll probably hear it around the village.”

“Then I’ll make sure I’m not listening then, won’t I?” Robert reassured. “I might have been drunk the other night, Aaron, but I meant what I said. I’m curious about you - I _like_ you. Nothing’s ever going to change that,” he finished by pressing a chaste kiss to Aaron’s lips, one of the mugs nudging against Aaron’s shoulder. 

“Tea solves everything.” Robert explained quietly, smiling brightly. 

“You’re definitely a Sugden.” Aaron accepted to mug, taking a sip from it before he continued. “Diane’s obsessed with making tea, when things go wrong.”

“You lived with Diane long then?”

“A few years,” Aaron shifted so he was sitting more comfortably against the car. “I used to live with Paddy, actually - the vet? He’s kind of like my dad.”

“Proper soft lad Paddy, isn’t he? Always was when I was growing up here anyway.” 

Aaron nodded. Paddy had one of the stranger magical powers of anyone in the village, being able to talk to animals. It wasn’t unusual to find Paddy sitting in a field having a full blown conversation with a cow, and newcomers to Emmerdale always found it odd that Paddy would talk to their pets, over them. 

Aaron remembered the first time he’d helped out at the vet’s, a woman had brought her cat in to be checked out. Paddy had just sat down on the ground and started talking to the cat, leaving Aaron to explain that no, he wasn’t mad, he was just able to communicate with animals.

“He’s a good person, best I know, really.” Aaron confirmed, thinking of the time Paddy had quietly talked to Clyde as the dog had passed away, reassuring Aaron’s companion that he was going to be fine. “Always took great care of me. He never had to step up and be a dad to me, but he did.”

“Chrissie, my ex-wife, she’s got a son.” Robert said after a few minutes silence. “I wanted to be a decent dad to him, when we got married, but turns out he was very into using illegal magic. He’s in juvenile detention now, he used mind control to get a girl into bed with him, sexually assaulted her. Sometimes I feel like it was my fault, for not being the kind of dad he needed - but I didn’t know how to, not after everything that happened with my own dad.”

Aaron was almost afraid to ask, but he knew he had to. “Why did you leave?”

Robert swallowed uncomfortably. “I’ve always been powerful. Dad said that the doctor said it to him as soon as I was born - they could tell, even then, that I was going to be powerful. It was as though I had too much magic, and they think it’s because both my parents were from powerful families. My birth mother, not Sarah, not the mum I knew.”

Aaron stayed quiet, letting Robert explain.

“I was always volatile.” Robert admitted. “My magic was tied to my emotions from day one, and I had a hard time controlling it. Andy’s isn’t, he was always able to be in better control - but me? If I got upset, I’d accidentally blow out a window, or set fire to my own bed. It scared my parents, it scared everyone, really.” 

“You were a kid though.”

“Not everyone saw it that way.” Robert shrugged. “I got worse, when my mum died. That’s when the thing with the church happened. I didn’t mean to do it, I really didn’t. It was after her funeral, and I just - I lost it, I lost it with Andy, because I knew he’d killed her, he’d caused the fire. Before I could stop myself, I’d set the church on fire with him inside.”

“Oh, Robert -“ Aaron tried to reach out for him, grabbing his hand back as an electric shock flew through his body.

“Sorry. I’m still getting used to you, you know.” Robert said sadly. “Dad tried to cover it up as best he could, managed to convince the police it was faulty wiring in the church, but everyone in the village knew. Robert Sugden, so out of control he nearly burned the village church down.”

“You’d just lost your mum, couldn’t people understand that?”

“No.” Robert sighed. “Because everyone was always looking for another reason not to like me. I used to cause havoc around the village, when I was a teenager, just for the fun of it, and when I started losing control completely, well - people weren’t exactly willing to help.”

“They should have.” Aaron was angry on his behalf now. “Your mum just died, they should have helped.”

Robert gave him a grateful look. “I was planning on running away from the village, with Max.”

“Max King?”

Robert nodded. “He was a good mate. Probably would have been more, if I’m honest, but neither of our families would have been too impressed by it. We figured we’d run away to London and start over, and Andy found out, tried to stop us going. Max got in the car with him, he panicked about leaving. We uh, played chicken, up on the road to Hotten, and I swerved to avoid them, and Andy crashed the car. I could only get one of them out, before the car exploded - and I was too upset to try and fix it with magic, I couldn’t control it. I nearly killed Andy, electrocuted him a few times when I dragged him out of the car.”

Aaron wanted to reach out and give Roberts hand a reassuring squeeze, but was unsure as to how he’d react to the touch. 

“Dad blamed me. I saved his precious Andy first, and he still sent me away. Told me I was a lunatic, and I was to never come back - just drive, and don’t come back. Can you believe that? I was nineteen and he told me to never come home again.”

Aaron could hear the pain in his voice, the hurt, and he couldn’t take it anymore. Setting his mug of tea down, Aaron braced himself for another electric shock as he wrapped his arms tightly around Robert’s middle, holding him close.

Only he didn’t get shocked, not this time. Robert just felt cold, colder than he had any other time Aaron had been hear him. Robert, he’d discovered, was an exceptionally warm person, largely down to the near electric nature of his magic. 

“Your dad sounds like he was a right prick to you.” Aaron said, relaxing slightly as Robert finally moved to hug him back.

“He always loved Andy more.” Robert said quietly, pressing his face into the crook of Aaron’s neck, goose pimples rising on Aaron’s skin as Robert’s breath ghosted over his neck. “His family didn't want him, because he was magical. Dad adopted him, and I just.. I always knew he loved Andy more, that he’d have preferred if Andy was the more powerful one, because then Andy could take over and live the sort of life he knew I never would.”

Aaron hugged him even tighter, hating how icy cold Robert felt. He was so used to Robert feeling warm, electric even, and it was so odd to have him feel any different. “I think Andy can be a right bore, if that’s any good to ya.”

Robert laughed, a teary sort of laugh. “It is, actually.”

Aaron pulled back so he could look at Robert properly, studying his face. Robert’s eyes were watery, his pale cheeks flushed with the effort of holding back tears. “I’ve had more fun with you these past few weeks than I have in years. Whatever your dad thought of you, he was wrong.”

Robert brushed a thumb along Aaron’s cheek, a faint trace of electricity in his fingertips. “You’ve been through it, haven’t you?” he said quietly.

“Your magic tell you that?” Aaron tried to joke, not really sure he was ready to have this conversation with Robert. 

“No.” Robert said, serious. “You look sad, sometimes.”

“I am.” Aaron admitted. “I’ll tell you why, someday.”

“You don’t have to.” Robert pressed his lips to Aaron’s, his touch still icy. “I’m happy to just stay like this.” 

“If only we didn’t have this engine to finish.” Aaron couldn’t help but grin, glancing over at the car.

“Would you be against the idea of me using my magic to finish the last of it so we can go home and shower?”

Aaron rolled his eyes. “You’ve got a one track mind.”

“I do.” Robert waggled his fingers at Aaron. “Come on, it’d be so easy. I think we deserve the half day. Anyway, I’ve done all the work so far!”

“You’re dreaming, mate.” Aaron looked at the mostly finished car, biting his lip. It’s not something they ever did, use magic to fix the cars. Cain and Debbie were completely magic free, it was nothing but hard graft at Dingle and Dingle.

But Aaron wanted to say yes. 

He wanted to skive off, and spend the rest of his day with Robert, so he nodded.

“Not a word to anyone.” Aaron warned. “Cain’ll kill me if he knew I skived off.”

Robert grinned, the car engine already rebuilding itself behind them. “Your secret is safe with me.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“S’cold.” Aaron stuck his hand under the shower head, sighing as he did so. “Charity’s used all the hot water again, dozy cow.”

Robert stuck his own hand under the running water, wincing as he did so. “I can fix it,” he shrugged, brushing his fingertips over the shower head. In a matter of seconds, the bathroom was filled with steam, the water piping hot.

Aaron shed the last of his dirty work clothes, stepping in under the blissful heat. It struck him immediately that this didn’t feel like normal water, there was something different about it. It was soothing, every sore muscle and aching joint in his body unravelling completely, as though he was getting a massage.

“You look like you’re enjoying that.” Robert commented, slipping into the shower cubicle with him, his hair instantly falling flat against his forehead, making him look so much younger, and softer. 

“I’m not used to magic.” Aaron admitted, shaking his hair out of his eyes so he could look at Robert properly. 

“I don’t use it to show off.” Robert said, grinning slightly. “Not all the time, at least. But it can make life a lot better, if you ask me.”

“Do you do stuff like this a lot then?” Aaron asked, gesturing toward the shower, which seemed to be a hundred times more powerful than normal. 

“Life can be absolute shit sometimes.” Robert looped an arm around Aaron’s shoulders, pulling him in for a kiss. “If you ask me, magic makes it all a little more bearable.”

Aaron couldn’t really argue with his logic, if he was honest. In the past few days, he’d experienced the fun side of Robert’s magic firsthand, and he didn’t hate it. “I guess,” he shrugged noncommittally, still pressed close to Robert’s body. 

“Are you okay with me using magic? I can stop, if you want me to.”

“I’m okay with it.” Aaron said. “I’ll tell you if I’m not, promise.”

Robert beamed, bright blue pouring from his fingertips, the magic not seeming in any way dangerous. Just, warm, and exciting. “Let’s put this shower to good use then, eh?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sex magic, Aaron decided as he laid face down on his bed, trying to catch his breath, was kind of the best. 

“You okay?” Robert ran a hand down his spine, sending shivers through his body. There was the hint of a smile in his voice as he stroked his fingers along Aaron’s back, Aaron able to feel the sweat disappearing from his body.

“I never had much of an opinion on magic,” Aaron admitted, turning on his side so he could look at Robert properly. “But that was something else.”

Robert grinned. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Take it how you want.” Aaron nudged, pinching Robert’s side. “You don’t electrocute me anymore.”

“I don’t.”

“Why?”

“I uh…” Robert looked as though he was trying to find the right words to explain why. Magic was complicated, Aaron knew that much. “I told you my magic was tied to my emotions, right?”

Aaron nodded, shifting slightly so he could prop his head up with his hand. 

“It means my magic tries to protect me, a lot of the time, because its almost sentient, being tied to my emotions. Whenever I start to feel something for someone, it takes my magic a while to accept that someone is not out to hurt me, because I’m used to being hurt by people.”

“I wouldn’t hurt you.” Aaron found himself saying, surprised at how much he meant it. He’d only known Robert a few weeks, but the thought of hurting him, it made Aaron feel ill. 

“I know.” Robert tangled their hands together, stroking his thumb over Aaron’s knuckles. “I’m just used to feeling like everyone wants something more from me, and it makes me want to protect myself.”

“Is that why things ended with your ex-wife?” Aaron asked, genuinely curious. 

“Chrissie. That was her name,” Robert began, clearly thoughtful. “Chrissie White. She’s part of one of the oldest magical families in Yorkshire, she’s got money, and power, the lot. I loved all that about her, she made me feel like I was unstoppable.”

“Sounds like things were good with you two.”

“For a while, they were, but my magic never took to her. It was okay for a few years, but the longer we were together, the more I realised that we weren’t right for each other. I accidentally blew up our kitchen, one day.” Robert snorted, lost in memories. “I had an affair. That was the end of it, despite all the problems we had. It ended because I had an affair.”

“Why?”

“Why did I have an affair?”

Aaron nodded. 

“I got tired of feeling like Chrissie only wanted me around to be able to show me off. I’m powerful, and I don’t say that to boast - I’m powerful, and it turns peoples heads, and Chrissie loved all that.” 

Robert glanced at him, a sincere look in his eyes. “I don’t regret it being over for one second, not since I met you.”

“Soft.” Aaron shoved at his shoulder, pressing a kiss to Robert’s lips. He was honest to God too tired for it to go any further, but it was nice, to just kiss him, feel the warmth of Robert’s body beside his own.

“You like it.”

“Maybe.” Aaron grinned, running a hand through Robert’s hair. “You hungry?” 

Robert nodded, searching for his discarded clothes, taking a pair of Aaron's underwear without so much as asking. Aaron would have called him arrogant, if he hadn't been so turned on by the prospect of Robert wearing his boxers. “Fancy some pub grub?”

“As long as you can deal with my mum’s death glares.”

“I would deal with them better if you let me hex her.”

Aaron glared at him. “She’s my mum, Robert.”

“I promise I won’t hex her.” Robert said solemnly. “Unless she tries to chuck a pint over me, or something.” 

Aaron pinched Robert’s bare stomach. “You’re a menace.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aaron audibly sighed as he noticed Chas directing death glares at them from across the pub, keeping up the routine she’d started as soon as they’d come down to grab some food. 

“I’m not a kid.” Aaron grumbled. “Why can’t she see that?”

“I don’t exactly have a great reputation.” Robert conceded. “I was a proper idiot, when I lived here last.”

Aaron looked at the defeated look in Robert’s eyes, and his stomach twisted. “That was ten years ago, though. People change - I was a right little scally when I was growing up, dealing drugs n’all.”

Robert brightened up, grinning. “Tell me you wore the tracksuits and everything.”

“Tracksuits and socks.” Aaron admitted. “I made sure to burn all the photos, don’t worry.”

“Maybe your mum will show me some.”

“Yeah, in about ten years when she finally doesn’t hate ya.” Aaron rolled his eyes, standing up. “Do you fancy another pint?”

Robert nodded, and Aaron grabbed their now empty glasses, sauntering over to the bar. “Are you going to be giving ‘im death glares all night or are you going to give it a rest?” Aaron inquired as his mother refilled their glasses.

“I don’t trust him.”

“Well, I feel normal for the first time in years when I’m with him, so could you just deal with it?” Aaron nudged, trying to butter her up with a smile. “We’re not eve properly together, mum, we’re just mates.”

“A mate you’re sleeping with.”

“Weird thing for you to say, mum.” Aaron grimaced, glancing over to where Robert was sitting. From his angle, he looked as though he was almost glowing, a blue tinge to his skin.

Making a mental note to ask him about it, Aaron gave Chas a bright, reassuring grin, taking their two pints back to the table.

“You look a little blue.” Aaron teased, sliding one of the drinks to Robert.

Robert, to his credit, flushed. “It happens, sometimes. When I’m happy - just another thing I can’t control about my magic.”

“So how does it work then? Why does everyones magic work in different ways?”

“No one knows, really.” Robert shrugged. “It’s just always been like that. Andy’s magic has always been to do with plants, and farming, it’s like he can communicate with the harvest, my dad used to say. Made him perfect, to take over the farm.”

“And Vic?”

“She’s a bit like me, actually. Her magic’s tied to her emotions a lot of the time, not that you’d know, she’s so happy.” Robert said fondly. “We couldn’t figure it out for years, but she’s a mix. She’s got a little bit of emotional magic, but she’s mostly got this magic touch when it comes to people. She just knows how to make people feel good about themselves.”

Aaron nodded, thinking back to all the pep talks he’d gotten from Victoria over the years where she’s always known exactly what to say to make him feel better. “She’s a gem, your Vic.”

“Best out of all of us, really.” Robert confirmed. “Paddy’s magic always makes me laugh.”

Aaron grinned. “Did he talk to your cows a lot?”

“As if they were best friends.” Robert nodded, remembering the times Paddy used to call up to their farm. 

Aaron swallowed uncomfortably. “Can you tell what mine is?”

“No.” Robert shook his head. “I can tell you’re not taking any suppressants though.”

Aaron shifted in his seat, thinking of the magical suppressants he’d been offered years previously. “I blocked it out myself,” he admitted, knowing it was something Robert would question. It was close to impossible to force your magic to go dormant, and scientific research had proved that it was mostly only people who'd been through traumatic incidents that could do it. 

“That’s not easy to do, you know.”

“I didn't do it for an easy reason.” 

Robert nodded. “I guessed.”

Aaron hated the desperate crack that appeared in his voice, the way his hands started to shake. “I can’t talk about it.”

Robert reached across and gave Aaron’s hand a squeeze. “I wouldn’t ask you to.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aaron couldn’t help but watch as Robert slept, blue sparks emitting from his fingertips as he snored. It was the first time Robert had stayed in his bed, and it was strange - it had been years since he’d fallen asleep with someone’s arms around him.

He couldn’t believe how magical Robert always was. Even asleep, there was an aura of power and control around Robert’s body, even if the electric shocks he’d come to expect were gone. He was only starting to get to know Robert, but he was fascinated by the power the blonde seemed to ooze, as though he was something great and powerful.

He was, Aaron decided, Robert was great and powerful.

“You’re staring.” Robert mumbled, keeping his eyes squeezed shut. 

“I was thinking.”

“Dangerous.”

“I want you to know. Why I let my magic go dormant, I want you to know.”

Robert was immediately awake, alert and listening. “You don’t have to tell me, I don’t need to know.”

“I want you to know.” Aaron said. “I don’t know why, but I want you to know.”

Robert nodded. “Okay.”

“I get my magic from my dad’s side of the family.” Aaron began, already struggling to find the words. “I used to think it was cool, when I was little. I couldn’t want to grow up and learn how to use it properly, be as powerful as my dad was.”

He could practically see his eight year old self standing in the back garden, watching rainbow coloured magic swirl around him. Aaron remembered how exciting it felt, how much he couldn’t wait for magic lessons to begin.

“My mum left us, when I was seven.” Aaron continued. “I missed her a lot, and I used to drive my dad mad, acting up and all that. He uh - he couldn’t control me. Mum had always joked that I was my own boss, but it got worse after she left us.”

“You were a kid who missed his mum. I was the same, when my mum died.” Robert sounded confused, worried even. Aaron knew he could probably sense how scared Aaron was, sense the nerves that had settled in the pit of his stomach as he attempted to tell Robert about it, about the one thing that had defined his entire life, made all his choices for him. 

“He was angry. I didn’t want to eat my dinner one day, and he was so angry.” Aaron blinked back tears, hating the way he felt instantly sick as he remembered what had happened. He’d discovered, over the years, that it was easier to just blurt it out. “He raped me.”

He felt Robert stiffen next to him, shock apparent on his face. 

“More than once.” Aaron admitted, the worse part over now, mostly. “I felt dirty, every time I would use my magic, so I started to ignore it. It made me sick, for a while, but eventually it stopped fighting me, and it went dormant. They offered me suppressants, after the court case, but I’d learned how to control it myself.”

“The court case?”

“Five years ago.” Aaron said. “He got sent down, five years ago. He got life, the bastard.” 

“Good.” Robert practically growled, Aaron able to feel how angry Robert was. 

“It’s his. My magic belongs to him, and it makes me feel dirty, and disgusting, and -“ Aaron choked out a sob, Robert immediately pulling him in for a tight hug, holding him close.

He felt safe.

Robert felt safe, and warm, and he made Aaron feel like he could be okay again. He cried into Robert’s bare chest, his tears soaking into Robert’s skin. “‘M sorry, I’m sorry.”

“Hey, you’ve got nothing to be sorry for. You hear me? You’ve got nothing to be sorry for.”

Aaron just clung to Robert tighter, his panic and tears subsiding as Robert held him. He opened his eyes, almost expecting the now familiar blue glow of Robert’s magic to be surrounding him, but there was nothing.

There was just Robert.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Are you doing anything right now?” 

Aaron looked up to see Robert hovering over him, looking self satisfied. “I was just planning on having a few pints, why?”

“I want to show you something.” Robert said, shoving Aaron’s coat at him. “Come on, come with me.” 

Aaron rolled his eyes, but he stood up, shrugging on his jacket. “Whats so important you’ve got to drag me out of my house for?”

“It’ll be worth it, I promise.” Robert directed Aaron toward his car, his touch blazing hot as he rubbed a hand across the back of Aaron’s neck, dropping a kiss behind his ear. 

Aaron would have hated how easily he leaned into Robert’s overly warm hands if it wasn’t such a comfort. He was glad things hadn’t changed between them now he'd told Robert about his dad, he was glad they could still continue their easy friendship, the routine they’d fallen into over the past few weeks.

Aaron settled into the passenger seat, not saying much as Robert started the car, driving them out of Emmerdale.

He was curious as to what Robert was up to. 

A few minutes later, they arrived at the quarry, and Aaron had to raise an eyebrow. “What are we doing here?”

“Just, trust me.” Robert pleaded with a grin, pocketing his keys and getting out of the car.

Aaron followed, trying not to think about the last time he’d been at the quarry. He’d been nineteen and he’d thought about jumping, and ever since, he’d avoided the place entirely.

“It only happens a couple of times a year, but you can see this constellation really clearly from right here,” Robert explained, directing Aaron to the side of the quarry. “Theres a myth, that it’s the constellation where people get their magic power from.”

“I’ve never heard of it before.”

“You need to be magic, to see it.” Robert held out his hand, Aaron looking at it nervously. “Trust me, please.”

Aaron reluctantly slid his hand into Robert’s, a jolt running through his body as he did so. It wasn’t like an electric shock, or the comforting warmth of Robert’s magic he’d experienced over the past few days, it was different.

It felt like there was something other than his blood running through his veins. 

“Look up.” Robert murmured softly.

Aaron looked up, and all of a sudden, the sky looked different. He was used to seeing the clear night sky over Emmerdale, but now it was completely different, lit up in bright shades of purple, and green, and yellow.

Every star seemed brighter than the next, each one a different colour. One was the same distinctive blue of Robert’s magic, the colour so familiar to Aaron now that it made him smile, despite his awe.

The colour of Robert's magic had started to feel like home, if he was honest, a safe place to be, a safe thing to be surrounded by. 

“It was my favourite story, growing up.” Robert said quietly. “My mum used to say that there was too much magic in the stars, so they had to give some of it to the people on Earth. So one day, colours started falling from the sky, and attaching themselves to people’s souls, and thats how magical people came into existence.”

Aaron could feel tears welling up in his eyes. “Yeah?”

Robert nodded. “She used to say that your magic was always your own. That your magic fell from the stars, so it made you a star - that you were part of something so much more than your life here.”

“I’ve never heard it put that way.” Aaron used his free hand to wipe at his eyes, unsure as to why he felt so emotional.

No, he knew why he felt so emotional.

For his entire life, Aaron had been told that his magic had come from his dad, that it was a family tradition that had been passed down from one generation to the next, and that it made him a Livsey.

He didn’t _want_ to be a Livsey.

Aaron didn't want a single part of his life to be associated with that monster.

But now, Robert was telling him that his magic had fallen from the stars, and all of a sudden, he felt different.

Maybe it was a myth. Maybe it was just a story mums told their kids when they were little, but it was enough to untwist the sick feeling Aaron had carried in his stomach for most of his life now.

“I’m not trying to push you into doing anything.” Robert continued. “I just wanted you to know, what I think about magic. Where I’ve always believed it came from. I know that people bang on about the family aspect, but I’ve always known it came from the stars.”

Aaron stayed quiet. 

“It’s what made me stop taking magical suppressants.”

Aaron glanced at Robert, shocked. “What?"

“I was nineteen, it was just after my dad sent me away. I couldn’t control my magic anymore, not at all - I was getting arrested, hurting people. I couldn’t stop any of it, so I found a dodgy dealer down a backstreet in London, and I started taking suppressants. They’d never have prescribed them to me, not when they saw how powerful I was,” Robert explained. “They made me sick, sicker than I ever remember being. I couldn’t afford to keep buying them, and the withdrawals were insane - I was so panicked, I came all the way back here to watch the stars one last time, I was convinced I was dying.”

“What made you change your mind? About the suppressants.” Aaron asked shakily, feeling his body start to tremble as he listened to Robert’s admissions.

“I sat here, and I watched the stars, and I thought about all the stories my mum had told me, about how the sky had been too full of magic, and the stars had to trust someone to take care of it all for them.” Robert smiled slightly at the memory. “People might think its a silly kids story, but it was enough to make me want to be better, to embrace my magic again.”

Aaron suddenly tore his hand away from Robert’s, the sky going dark, the bright colours reduced to their normal white starlight. For the first time, the stars felt strange to Aaron, as though they were less now he knew what he could see if he'd let his magic wake up again. “You don’t get it, Robert. The magic, it’s a part of _him,_ I got it from his side of the family. You can talk about the stars all you want, but its just a children's fairytale. It’s this part of him I don’t want inside me, so if I ignore it, it doesn’t have to be a part of my life.”

“I’m never going to pretend like I get what it’s like for you.” Robert said. “But that magic is _yours_. It’s been yours from the day you were born, Aaron. Whether you believe it came from the stars, or it’s some weird genetic malfunction, it’s _yours_. It doesn’t belong to anyone else.”

Aaron hated the hot tears that were pricking at the corners of his eyes. “It feels like his.”

“Do you trust me?”

“Yeah.” Aaron couldn’t pretend like he wasn’t nervous. “You know I do.”

“Close your eyes. Please.”

Aaron obeyed, his eyes fluttering shut and his stomach in knots as he waited for Robert to do something. He didn’t feel anything for a second, and then all of a sudden, it felt as though there was a pleasant sort of electricity thrumming through his body.

It was incredible. He felt powerful, and in control, like he could do **anything**.

“W-what are you doing?” Aaron asked, afraid if he opened his eyes, it would stop. Colours were dancing across the inside of his eyelids, and it felt like the entire universe was his to bend and break.

“That’s what it feels like.” Robert was close to him, closer than Aaron had expected. “To let your magic run through your body, to stop ignoring it. Thats how it feels, Aaron.”

“It feels amazing.” Aaron said, his tone one of wonder. “I feel like I could do anything.”

Robert stepped back, and the feeling disappeared, making Aaron feel hollow and disappointed. “You could have that, you know. You’re so much more powerful than you realise, and you don’t have to let him win. This magic, it’s yours, it doesn’t belong to anyone else.”

“I’ve missed my chances to train, learn how to harness it, Robert. I made my choice when it comes to magic,” Aaron shook his head. “I can’t learn how to use it now.”

“You can if the head of a family takes an interest.” Robert grinned. “Do you not know how old magical law works? Sure, all the modern stuff says that you’ve got to go to school, learn how to use it there, but they’ve never gotten rid of the old laws that state heads of magical families can teach someone who’s willing to learn.”

“Really?”

“Really. If you want this, I can help you.”

“There’s got to be strings attached, Robert. I do have some idea of how magical law works.”

“In the event of an all out magical war, you’ve got to fight with my family. It’s not something I see happening, so….” Robert flashed him a grin, trying to make light of the whole situation. Aaron knew he looked unimpressed, his stomach in knots as he listened to Robert talk. “I didn’t take you up here to force you to make a decision, Aaron. I just wanted to know you how good it can feel.”

Aaron looked down at his hands, already missing the powerful feeling that Robert had caused in his body a few moments previously. “What if I can’t stop ignoring it?”

“I know you could, if you wanted to.”

“How?”

“Let go.”  


Aaron rolled his eyes. “Like it’s that easy, Robert.” 

Robert rolled his eyes. “It is. You just need to stop thinking about it. You trained yourself to ignore it, and now you just have to let yourself remember its there.”

Aaron closed his eyes, feeling a bit stupid as he stood at the edge of the quarry, willing the magic he’d spent seventeen years ignoring to come back to him. He thought back to when he was a kid, when he’d been excited to have all these powers at his fingertips, and all of a sudden, something sparked.

It didn’t feel like Robert’s magic had. It felt more like a broken lamp, flickering on and off, not quite strong enough to stay lit. 

Aaron opened his eyes and looked down at his hands, fascinated at the odd purple hue that had started to surround his hands. “Robert?” he looked up to see Robert staring at him, a wide grin on his face.

“I told you that you were more powerful than you realised.” Robert beamed, looking honest to god proud of him. “Purples my favourite colour, you know.”

“Does that mean something?”

“It means I was right to be curious about you.” Robert closed the few inches of space between them, not quite touching Aaron.

“What, worried I’m going to electrocute you?” Aaron teased, waggling his dimly lit fingers at Robert.

“No.”

“What then?”

“I, uh.” Robert looked at Aaron, his eyes wide. “I can tell what type of magic you’ve got.” 

Aaron felt a buzz of excitement ripple through his body. “You can?”

“It’s emotional.” Robert sounded like he was in complete awe of Aaron, scanning Aaron’s face. “Aaron, you’re the same as me, it’s an emotional connection to your magic, thats how yours works..”

Aaron’s eyes widened. He might not have known much about magic, but he knew having magic connected to your emotions was the most unusual type. He’d only ever heard of Robert being completely emotionally tied to his magic before now.

“Is it dangerous?” Aaron twisted his hands, watching as the purple light grew slightly stronger. He could feel it coming back to him now, the magic he’d forced to go dormant all those years ago.

His body felt electrified. 

Aaron felt like he could honestly be powerful, like he had the world at his feet.

He felt _good._

Great, even.

Robert shook his head, looking completely astounded.

“Robert, say something, you’re scaring me.”

Robert didn’t say a word, instead mashing his lips to Aaron’s in a kiss that left him breathless for a second before the real magic kicked in. It felt like _more_ , like so much more than just a simple touch of their lips. 

It felt like it was exactly what he was supposed to be doing, and Robert was exactly who he was supposed to be doing it with. 

“Look.” Robert murmured against his lips, pulling back slightly. 

Aaron opened his eyes, and his heart started to race. Robert was completely surrounded by purple, the colour twisting and changing and turning to blue at every point where their bodies met.

“W-what?” 

Robert grinned at him. “I’ve been looking for you my entire life, Aaron Dingle, and I didn’t even know it.” 

Aaron suddenly understood. He understood why he’d always felt so safe with Robert, why it was always so easy to trust him, why he’d felt so good around him from the first time they’d kissed.

He'd always been meant to find him, somehow. 

He smiled. “Don’t tell me, we came from the same star?”

Robert grazed his lips against Aaron’s, his happiness infectious. “I think we did.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**fin**

 

**Author's Note:**

> this has been my favourite thing to write, ever. honestly, i've never enjoyed writing anything more, so i hope you enjoyed it. thank you to siri who's listened to me be aggressively excited about this for days now!
> 
> the title is from safe in your hands by eli lieb, which i mostly listened to on repeat writing this. 
> 
> i'm robertsuggles over on tumblr if you ever fancy a chat about emmerdale (or anything, lol.)


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